Angel Wings, gen version
by Mira Sol
Summary: A mission brings up bad memories for Daniel. JackDaniel friendship. Warning, deals with child abuse.


Angel Wings 

"Looks Oriental with all those fans," Sam observed, as they looked down a hill into a wild eruption of colors. It seemed they had gated to the world just in time for a festival; everywhere in the tiny village was decked up with colorful flowers or flags and the people seemed to be dressed up in bright robes and dresses. Everyone was carrying what looked like small fans, waving them joyfully in the air. Bursts of song, the noisy clamor of the crowd, and the sweet scent of flowers blew towards them on the wind.

"I dunno…they remind me of ping pong," Jack pointed out, "Whadda you think, Danny?" He turned towards Daniel and grinned, waiting for his response. He expected a Jaaaack or an eye roll, and then possibly a long, boring speech on exactly what they reminded him. What he got, however, was a very disturbed looking Daniel who didn't seem to have heard him.

"Daniel?" Jack prompted, frowning slightly. 

"Wha…." he said, his face pale as he stared at the multitude of colored fans, "Me too…ping pong." Jack's frown deepened but before he could question him further, Teal'c requested to know what ping pong referred to. Daniel snapped out of his daze at once as he answered. He sounded almost normal again, but there was a slight strain to his explanation, a stammer just beyond what could be called normal for Daniel, and Jack knew it. For the moment, though, he was willing to let it go. 

"Right," he said, clapping Daniel on the back and stopping him mid speech in a startled jump, "What do you say we get a bit closer?"

"Cl-closer?" Daniel stammered, his eyes wide. Jack might have been willing to overlook the wince when he clapped him on the back, but he couldn't overlook his words or the look of fear in his eyes.

"Daniel?" he asked, hoping that Daniel might tell them what was wrong without coercion. He should have known better.

"Sorry," he answered quickly, visibly sucking in his fear and altering his features into something more closely resembling normal, "Of course we go closer, that's why we're here. Always up for a good party, let's go." That said he started walking quickly away from them down the hill, not waiting to see if they would follow. Jack hated that look. It was Daniel's 'I'm fine' look when he was anything but fine. Something was definitely wrong, but Jack didn't think it was anything to do with the people they had come to see. If it was what he suspected, however, he didn't think that village was a good place for Daniel to go.

"Daniel Jackson seems most disturbed," Teal'c said, his own concern for the archeologist evident in his voice. Sam hesitated between running after Daniel and staying when Jack and Teal'c didn't move.

"Daniel!" Jack shouted, still not making any move towards the village and Daniel paused mid-step. He had gone a fairly far distance in a short period of time but it was a large hill and they were all still a fair distance from the village.

"Jack?" he called back without turning around, "You guys coming?"

Jack hesitated, studying Daniel closely. As Daniel's friend, he wanted nothing more than to drag him out of there, away from whatever was disturbing him, and feed him on pizza and beer for a week. As his commanding officer, he knew they had to get on with the mission. The real question was whether Daniel was up to it; if he wasn't it didn't matter what either of them wanted, he should be pulling Daniel out anyway. But he did seem to be better now and he had promised Jack that if his personal issues ever became a real problem on a mission he would tell him. Jack wanted to trust Daniel, and even more important he wanted Daniel to know that he trusted him. He decided to go along with him for now, but the moment Daniel showed signs of getting worse he was pulling him out of there, no matter how much Daniel complained.

"All right," he said, "Come on kids, let's move out." With quick easy strides he caught up to Daniel and they continued on together, shoulder to shoulder. By the time they reached the village, Daniel seemed to be completely over whatever had disturbed him. He was his normal, friendly, inquisitive self getting them an audience with the village leader and animatedly babbling away with various locals concerning their apparently fascinating culture. Though still cautious, Jack felt comfortable enough in the festive atmosphere to let his team break away from their tight group and mingle, though Daniel had his teammates' eyes on him at all times. Daniel's sudden uncharacteristic bout of fear had put them all on edge. Daniel, on the other hand, seemed to be in his element.

"Jack!" he cried, having come back from an animated conversation with a local priestess, "They aren't fans, they're wings! I think this is a celebration for the Spring equinox, that's why all the flowers, and they all carry a pair of wings with them as a symbol of their ancestors."

"Nox?" Jack asked, "You think this festival has something to do with the Nox?" Daniel blinked, his train of thought being momentarily derailed, and then he rolled his eyes elaborately. "Equinox, Jack, not the Nox. I know you know what that means. When the day is exactly the same length of time as the night. Lot's of cultures hold festivals around this time, like Easter or Ostara, but it's unusual here because there's a bit of Halloween thrown in. See, it's kind of like a spring version for the Day of the Dead, using spirits as a form of renewal. Their dead ancestors are supposed to fly back on this day in the form of some kind of winged thing, I'd guess something like butterflies because of the shape of their fans, and they come to land on all the flowers and bring renewal to the people. They keep saying 'the ancestors are coming', but they aren't here yet, I think maybe this is centered around a real event, maybe a migration of insects or birds who come by every year at this time. The priest said they all come and hover over their sacred land, I think that's like a graveyard, but I'm not sure, maybe its just temple grounds? Anyway…it's fascinating."

"I see," Jack answered, who got very little of that except that the 'ancestors' were coming, a phrase that sounded very ominous to his mind, "And you're sure these…ancestors that are flying in today, they are spirits?" Daniel frowned.

"What, you don't think they're Goa'uld do you? It doesn't seem likely, not with their description, and I haven't seen any Goa'uld symbols here, though I haven't seen inside any of their buildings. Perhaps if I asked the priestess to show me their temple…"

"Ah, let's wait a bit and hear what Teal'c says," Jack suggested lightly, thinking that there was no way in hell he was letting Daniel out of his sight on this mission, not after the way he had frozen up on the hill, but he wasn't going to tell Daniel that. At that moment, Sam and Teal'c returned from their own questioning of the locals, trying to sound out a treaty before they actually sat down with the leader. The MALP had picked up some interesting energy readings surrounding what looked like multicolored crystals growing from the ground. Sam started in straight away with their findings.

"Sir, those crystals seem to grow most abundantly in their sacred land; I'm not sure how willing these people will be to let us take any from there, but perhaps they might let us take some that are growing feely."

"Sacred land…that the same place these flying ghosts are supposed to make an appearance, Danny?" Jack asked.

"Ancestors, Jack," Daniel answered stubbornly, "And yes, the priestess did say something about that."

"What? Ancestors, ghosts, they're all a bunch of dead people right? I know, flying dead people…sounds like angels!"

"Whatever Jack, call them what you like," Daniel answered with a sigh, "All I know is that they're supposed to be coming soon. Do you think they're related to those crystals?" Sam opened her mouth, most likely to launch into full lecture mode and explain exactly what connections there might be, but Jack interrupted her.

"Wait, just...I know you scientists get all excited over culture and minerals and all that, but just…keep an eye out ok? We don't really know anything about these angel, ancestor things and if they are real creatures like Danny thinks then, well…keep your eyes open." Sam and Daniel looked at him, saying "yes sir," and "sure Jack" and then immediately turning towards each other to throw ideas back and forth, Daniel already keeping half an eye out for a local to flag down and help answer some more questions. Jack sighed and turned towards Teal'c.

"Did you see anything or hear anything…Goa'uld-ish?" he asked.

"Indeed I did not, O'Neill," Teal'c answered, "This village does not appear to have been touched by the Goa'uld."

"Well…that's interesting in itself," Jack answered, thoughtfully, "Think they're just lucky? Or is there something here that repels Goa'uld?"

"I will make inquiries," Teal'c answered. Jack nodded but when Teal'c started to walk away, he called him back. 

"Teal'c!" he cried and when Teal'c had turned, Jack paused a moment, finally saying, "Keep an eye on the scientists." Teal'c nodded and turned once more, this time in the direction Daniel and Sam had wandered. Jack kept his own guard up, watching over his team from a few paces and at the same time keeping an eye on the villagers. The atmosphere continued to be festive, nothing dark or ominous in their actions, but Jack didn't relax his guard. He hated not knowing exactly what was going on, especially when it came to alien ceremonies or festivals, and his team had been fooled before when it came to apparently harmless rituals. This time, however, nothing sinister appeared. Though he didn't exactly relax his guard, Jack began to at least become more open to the festive atmosphere, thinking that, for once, perhaps nothing would go wrong. That was when the parade came.

A bright crowd of white-robed children interspersed with colorfully masked adults came dancing through the village. The children all wore wings, large versions of the bright round fans, and their hair was wreathed in flowers. Altogether, between the white robes and the wings, they reminded Jack of angels. Laughing, the children leapt about swinging their fans in their hands, singing merrily between the laughter. It was, by most standards, harmless.

"The ancestors come!" people shouted, and "Purify our souls, make us clean once more!" Still laughing, the children parade swung their fans now with more purpose, hitting the merry onlookers and calling blessings upon them. Jack couldn't stop from wincing when a child swung her fan at him; it really did remind him of a ping pong paddle and looked heavy enough to hurt, but its appearance was deceptive and when it touched him it was soft and feather light, bending like paper beneath the blow. Distracted by the children, he had lost track of his team until he heard Sam's "Sir!" Looking up sharply at her frightened tone, he waded through the winged children, pushing past laughing masks and small flowered heads until he reached her side.

"O'Neill, something is wrong with Daniel Jackson," Teal'c stated. He was kneeling at Daniel's side, a perplexed look on his normally stoic features, as Daniel cowered away from him into the wall of a building. He was curled defensively, not moving, and Jack's heart sank at the sight.

"I did not mean to hurt him!" a man kept saying, one of the parade goers though he had taken off his mask, "The wings do not hurt, they bless!" His voice was filled with remorse, not understanding why his blessing was received with such fear.

"It's all right, it wasn't you," Jack answered him calmly, never taking his eyes off of Daniel. Sinking to his knees, he reached out a tentative hand and placed it on Daniel's shoulder. There was no reaction.

"Damn it, Daniel," Jack whispered, his voice low and gentle as he gentle rubbed his hand in small circles on his back.

"Sir, what is it sir?" Sam demanded, "Do you need the med kit?" Jack didn't answer her for a long moment, all of his attention taken up by the unresponsive man before him. Finally, he stood back and faced the rest of this team. The concerned local hadn't left, still disturbed that he had caused the problem, no matter how unintentionally.

"We need to move him to someplace quiet," Jack announced, "Teal'c, I'd like you to carry him. Then I need to be left alone with him for a while." Teal'c bowed his head and knelt down to take Daniel into his arms. Daniel gave him no trouble, almost as though he were asleep but his eyes were open, locked on something none of them could see. 

"You should take him to the sacred land," the villager suggested suddenly, happy again that he could help, "Soon the ancestors will come. They offer blessings for the new year and heal the soul. They will help him."

"I thought this was the ancestors here, all the children and everything," Sam said, frowning in confusion.

"No, no, this is the Dance of the Reborn, the children are our new life. The ancestors are our old life, they still come. Come to the Sacred Lands, they will cure your friend!"

"We kind of need a place to be alone," Jack answered, dismissing his advice out of hand, but the man was shaking his head, grinning broadly.

"The Sacred Land is a large place! We are small in the field; there is much room to be alone." Jack hesitated still, but finally shrugged, not caring where they went so long as they went quickly and could be as alone as the man implied. Nodding to Teal'c, they followed the man away from the village. They weren't the only one heading in that direction and Jack began to rethink where they were going, but they soon turned off away from the crowd. Then they stepped around a hill and very suddenly found themselves in the most remarkable place.

It was a field of crystals. In every color of the rainbow, there burst incredible blossoms and columns of crystals. They came in all sizes, many towering over them like trees, others so minute they were barely more than a glint on a rock face. The villager led them eagerly into the field, finally stopping a grassy grove. There, completely surrounded by hundreds of crystals, he left them.

Jack saw the crystals in the same way he saw any landscape, threat assessing and evaluating it for the best defensible position, but other than that he wasn't really looking. All of his attention was caught up on the man who Teal'c was setting gently upon the grass. He heard Sam talking, babbling on about the crystals and energy readings, but that too he tuned out until she turned back to the topic of Daniel.

"Sir…" she began hesitantly, radiating confusion and worry, "Do you know what is wrong with him?"

"I know, Carter," Jack answered wearily, sadly, then more sharply he said, "I want you and Teal'c to leave us now. Go find the villagers, observe, take readings on the crystals, whatever. Get on with the mission."

"But sir," Sam started, not feeling comfortable with leaving Daniel like this.

"Now, Carter," Jack barked and her military training took over. Teal'c, having watched Jack as closely as Daniel throughout the ordeal, accepted his command more easily and together they walked away. Finally alone with Daniel, Jack sat down upon the grass next to where Daniel sat. It was disturbing to see him sitting so calmly, responsive enough to hold his position but not to react to anyone. His eyes were still open, unseeing, and Jack knew he had to draw him back.

"Danny," he whispered, pulling him into his arms. Daniel allowed this, still without reacting, and for a long moment, Jack just held him. Then he started talking, his voice soft and gentle, and he rubbed his hands against Daniel's bare skin on his arms, hoping to draw him back from the dark place he had gone. It wasn't the first time Daniel had frozen up like this, though it was the first time it had happened on a mission. 

"I'm here, Danny," Jack murmured into his ear, "You're safe here, please come back. Nothing to hurt you. I'm here, Danny, please, come on." Over and over again he repeated those words. Holding him securely in his lap, he patted at his cheek, rubbing his other hand through his hair and over his back. He kept his touches light, continuing to speak softly, like he used to talk to Charlie when he woke up from a nightmare. His words were gentle, reminding Daniel with his touch and voice that he was right there, safe in Jack's embrace, not back in whatever nightmare the village had brought up. Time had no meeting as Jack worked to pull Daniel back, and at last he began to feel results. There was a slight tremor beneath his hands, a slight movement, and then Daniel was gasping for air, his body jerking as though suddenly waking up. Jack felt the change and pulled Daniel back once more into a solid hug, willing to hold him as long as it took for Daniel to come completely out of it. Slowly, the violent tremors now running through Daniel's body began to fade as his breathing slowed once more. 

"Jack?" he whispered lightly. Jack kissed the back of his head, moving a hand once more over Daniel's arm.

"I'm here," he answered softly. They sat like that a while longer, and Jack knew Daniel had to be shaken if he was allowing the hold to go on this long. Jack, for his part, had always been a tactical person, and Daniel brought out all his parental instincts. He could sit there, holding Daniel, as long as he needed to. Finally, Daniel broke the silence.

"Sorry," he said. Jack sighed softly as he continued to rub his arm, reassuring Daniel that he was there. 

"The Petersons?" Jack asked lightly, needing to know but afraid Daniel wasn't ready to answer. Daniel tensed in his arms, a shudder running through him, but he stayed grounded against Jack.

"Mr. Peterson," he answered reluctantly, "It was…you were right with those wings…fans…whatever. They did remind me of ping pong. I didn't lie."

"I never said you did," Jack answered, trying hard not to tense himself, to not let the fervent hatred he felt towards that man come through into his hold on Daniel.

"It was…he was…you know how they locked me in the basement sometimes," Daniel continued, the occasional shudder still coursing through his body.

"I know," Jack answered, knowing very well because that demon had come up before in the form of a blown out light bulb.

"He had a ping pong table down there," Daniel continued, "He…the paddle was one of his favorite…"

"It's ok, Danny," Jack whispered.

"No it isn't!" Daniel cried, wrenching violently in Jack's arms but not away, unable to give up the comfort Jack offered, "It's so stupid! They were just fans, and that was long ago, it wasn't even that bad, not the worst…" Slowly he trailed off again, sinking back against Jack until he was molded to him and Jack could feel his pain sobbing silently against his chest.

"It's ok," Jack whispered, hoping this time his words would be accepted without a fight.

"It isn't," Daniel whispered back, this time his voice was plaintive and remorseful, "Not on a mission. I promised you I wouldn't. It was just so sudden, one of those fans was swinging at me and suddenly it was him again, and I guess I just…froze up."

"Ah, well, any excuse for a cuddle on a mission," Jack answered, pulling Daniel in tighter, keeping his voice light as he tried to ease the shudders he still felt trembling through Daniel's body. Even then Daniel didn't pull away, desperately needing the grounding Jack offered, though he felt himself blushing. 

"I don't know, Jack," Daniel answered, "Somehow, you don't really do it for me. Now maybe if you were Sam…"

"Ingrate," Jack answered, swatting him gently and was relieved when Daniel didn't wince from the contact.

"I'm not a boy, you know," Daniel mumbled, still making no move to escape from Jack's arms.

"It could be worse," Jack pointed out, "I could be Teal'c. You know how he gets in alpha protector mode."

"Oh God," Daniel answered in mock terror, grinning for a moment but then he frowned as he really looked around. "Jack…where are we? What happened to…did Sam and Teal'c…" 

Jack hated the hesitation in Daniel's voice, knowing how much Daniel hadn't wanted Sam or Teal'c to ever see him like that. They would have questions now that he knew Daniel wasn't ready to answer. 

"We're in the Sacred Land," Jack answered, "I sent the others away."

"They're beautiful," Daniel remarked, staring at the crystals, but his voice was flat and his mind was on their missing teammates.

"It will be all right, Danny," Jack said, "We'll think of something to tell them."

"No," Daniel sighed, "I don't want to lie. Not to anyone. If it's going to be a problem on missions…we were lucky, Jack. It's a peaceful planet. What if that had happened in a not so peaceful place? I don't want to cause any of you to get hurt."

Jack swallowed; he had been thinking much the same thing but he hadn't wanted to bring that up yet. He knew it would come up soon enough when they had to return to the SGC.

"We'll move beyond this," he said at last, "We need you in the field, Daniel." Daniel didn't answer, not wanting to think about what would happen when Sam and Teal'c returned, what would happen when they got back to the SGC. Suddenly, the entire landscape around them lit up.

"What the…" Jack cried, his arms clenching painfully tight around Daniel. Softly at first, but rising in pitch, the crystals began to hum.

"Crap!" Jack cried, stumbling to his feet and dragging Daniel up with him, his eyes searching for a threat.

"Jack, look!" Daniel cried, his voice filled with awe as he stared upwards. The sky was filled with wings.

Round, shimmering, colorful wings fluttered in a great cloud. They seemed to be part insect, part light, their bodies minute and frail. They covered the entire sky in a great cloud, darkening the sky until the only light now came from the glowing crystals. The swarm hovered, their wings shimmering in the crystal light, and then the hum increased until Jack and Daniel could feel it in their bones, vibrating through them on a strangely harmonic level.

"The ancestors," Daniel gasped, finding it strangely hard to speak as though the weight of the crystal's song had settled over his throat, thrumming through his chest. This went on for several minutes until the thrum of the crystals seemed to swallow them, their strong chord becoming the entire world. The light in the crystals grew brighter, finally erupting in electrical sparks as tremoring cracks ran down their sides. From the cracks, tiny luminescent creatures crawled, flitting away into the air like tiny fireflies. They were everywhere, settling over everything, including the two men. Up close, Jack and Daniel could see that they seemed to be a miniature version of whatever was swarming above them.

"Jack," Daniel gasped, his eyes wide in wonder, and then the creatures seemed to connect to the crystals in spurts of light, like electricity, running over everything and everyone. Energy ran over them, filling them, standing their hair on edge. It didn't hurt, in fact it almost felt pleasant, except that it was all too much, too strong. The intense thrumming of the air, the energy, the lights overwhelmed them, connecting them to something so much larger and beyond themselves that they felt lost, swallowed into it. But at the same time, they were more connected to each other than they had ever been in their lives. It was a heady, powerful feeling. For a while they struggled against it, gasping for breath and clinging to each other but the creatures were relentless, flitting over them, connecting them and at last, they let go. For a long, timeless moment, they allowed themselves to join with something large and powerful, riding it like a wave.

When Jack finally came to himself, they were lying entwined upon the ground. The crystals were silent once more, the air still. The cracks had disappeared, leaving the crystals as smooth and whole as ever. The tiny creatures seemed to have flown away but the larger swarm had changed. It seemed to be raining soft round petals, though larger than any petals Jack knew, and suddenly he understood what material the fans were made from. Nothing was attached to the wings; it was as though the creatures' bodies had disappeared.

Jack saw all this with a strange detachment, not quite woken up from the intensity of the experience. Looking at the man lying next to him, he found Daniel seemed to be asleep, his face smooth and peaceful. Mildly concerned to find Daniel unconscious, he shook him slightly, and was greeted by the sight of blue eyes.

"Jack," Daniel asked, and then together they sat up, watching the rain of wings.

"Jack," Daniel whispered, his voice lighter than it had been since they had stepped down the hill on this planet and seen the villagers, "I don't see it anymore."

"Don't see what?" Jack asked, thinking he really should have some sarcastic remark about what had just happened, but feeling far too relaxed to bother.

"Ping pong," Daniel whispered, "There's nothing left but wings. I feel, strange. As though I was taken apart and put back together."

"That was…something," Jack agreed, feeling, well, awed. It wasn't something he felt often. He had never felt so connected, to Daniel and to himself and to something bigger than both of them that he couldn't quite define. He knew instinctively that Daniel wasn't suddenly, miraculously cured of his nightmares. There would be moments, still, when memories would come back to haunt them. But something had happened, and it was better now. The past was not forgotten just…soothed. Holes long torn had been filled over with something new. Jack's love, the crystals, and the wings came together and healed. They had been blessed.

Though they knew it couldn't last forever, that they would still have everything to deal with very soon, they took that moment to relax into what they had experienced, letting it become a deeper part of themselves, something they knew would stay with them always. Holding each other by the hand, feeling that connection of a deep friendship, they sat and breathed and lived, cloaked by angel wings. 


End file.
